1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a head joint for a concert flute and more particularly to a head joint having an acoustic taper defined by a wedge disposed within a cylindrical chamber.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One popular wind type of musical instrument has come to be known as the Boehm or concert flute. The Boehm flute traditionally includes a head joint which is detachably connected to a body portion having fingering holes and keys thereon. The head joint has a circular cross-section which is smoothly tapered from a relatively large diameter at the connecting or tenon end to a smaller diameter at the opposite end which is normally closed by a cork. While the internal diameter traditionally has a parabolic taper, modern manufacturing techniqus have often produced a metallic head joint having a linear taper. An embouchure hole is located near the closure end and an embouchure plate is conventionally affixed to the head joint at the embouchure hole to provide a desired increased depth therefor.
A conventionally constructed Boehm flute has several undesirable limitations. Because of manufacturing difficulties, an approximately parabolic taper is seldom available in commercial flutes. The manufacture of wooden or non-metallic head joints is particularly uneconomical because of the requirement for expensive boring tools which must be frequently reconditioned. A head joint with the required inner taper cannot be economically produced from materials such as plastics, which are commercially available in easily manufactured cylindrical shapes and cannot be forced from a cylindrical shape into a tapered form except through very impractical or expensive manufacturing methods.